A new government report has revealed that the Trump administration has held nearly 70,000 migrant children in detention centers over the course of 2019.
This number is cumulative over the course of 2019, there are not currently 70,000 children being held in detention centers. Nonetheless, the amount of children being held in detention centers is at an all-time high.
Compared to other countries, the US holds significantly large amounts of children.
In Canada, migrant children are only separated from their families as a last resort, and only 155 children were held by Canada in 2018. In the United Kingdom, only 42 migrant children were placed in shelters in 2017.
Reports also reflect worse conditions at US detention centers as well.
Approximately 1,000 of the children being held have reported being sexually assaulted or abused while in these detention centers, with 178 of these complaints filed against detention center staff members, according to NPR.
Many children are also not receiving adequate healthcare, hygiene materials, or food, according to health officials from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Federal law requires the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement to provide migrant children with food, shelter, mental health care, and medical care.
However, the HHS Office of Inspector General found that there are not enough clinicians or specialized care offices within shelters to adequately care for migrant children. This problem has worsened as medical concerns heightened this year, with reports of seven migrant children deaths in the detainment centers in 2019.
Detained migrant children are also more likely to experience trauma later on in life, the American Academy of Pediatrics found, which has led the AAP to recommend that detained children be offered therapy.
On average, minors are held in the centers for three months while awaiting their immigration court dates. As studies reflect that the number of children being detained continues to increase, concerns over physical safety and mental wellbeing will likely persist.